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Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker mulls pitching options

The Cincinnati Enquirer
Published 2:22 p.m. ET Sept. 25, 2013

Cincinnati’s Brandon Phillips slides safely into home plate while scoring on a double by Jay Bruce during the Reds’ 11-3 victory over the Pirates on Sunday.(Photo: Charles LeClaire)

r pulled three yellow sheets of paper out of his binder Sunday in Pittsburgh. Each listed a pitching rotation. Plan A, B and C, if you will.

Which the Reds will use depends on a lot of factors. Right now, they conceivably could win the National League Central, host the wild-card game, play the wild-card game on the road or miss the playoffs completely.

"No matter what you, do you're not going to make everyone happy," Baker said. "It's not an easy decision."

With starting pitchers, what they do leading up to a start is hugely important. Pitchers like to know as far in advance as possible when they're pitching.

"(Pitching coach Bryan Price) talks to them," Baker said. "It depends on where we are, what we need. Last year, we had the luxury of setting the rotation."

Right now, the Reds are listing the rotation this way for the two remaining home series, with the New York Mets and the Pittsburgh Pirates:

Monday vs. Mets: Johnny Cueto

Today vs. Mets: Mike Leake

Wednesday vs. Mets: Greg Reynolds

Thursday: off day

Friday vs. Pirates: Mat Latos

Saturday vs. Pirates: Homer Bailey

Sunday vs. Pirates: Bronson Arroyo

The wild-card game is two days after Sunday's season finale, so no one would be on the normal four days' rest for that start. If the Reds know they're going to be in that game by Wednesday, they couldhave Latos start Wednesday and pitch the wild-card game on six days' rest.

"First we've got to get there," Baker said. "You can't overlook the Mets thinking about the Pirates, then have the Mets mess you up. They're going to try to beat us, too."

The Reds have Latos, Bailey and Arroyo lined up at No. 1, 2 and 3 right now. But they've also got Opening Day starter Cueto in the mix, as well as Leake, who is 14-6 with a 3.21 ERA.

Cueto is particularly intriguing. He threw five shutout innings and got his pitch count to 82 after missing over two months with a lat strain. He could push his pitch count to 100 today.

"It depends on how he's pitching," Baker said, "if he doesn't have any stressful innings."